The Danbocchi – A $600 Cardboard Box for People Who Value Their Privacy

You know those moments when you’re surrounded by a sea of people and all you can think about is being alone in a tiny room? Ok, maybe that’s just me, but he point is now you can isolate yourself from the world pretty much anywhere and anytime, thanks to the Danbocchi. This ordinary-looking cardboard box is is soundproofed up to 30 decibels, so as long as you do it in a low voice, you can talk to yourself, scream, or sing without worrying about people hearing you.

The Danbocchi might seem like the perfect accessory for hikikomori, Japan’s reclusive youth, but in fact, it was designed for ordinary people who want to sing karaoke or play video games at high volume without disturbing their neighbors. If you live in an apartment with really thin walls, you probably know how annoying loud neighbors are, particularly at night, but thanks to the Danbocchi sound-dampening box, noise is no longer a problem. Just step inside, close the door, and be as loud as you can. According to the Danbocchi official site, if someone is singing karaoke at 90 decibels inside the box, it only sounds like 60 decibels to people outside of it, which is about a normal speaking volume.

Danbocchi-box

I’m thinking about getting one of these things for work. Whenever things get too frustrating, I can just step into my little Danbocchi, let out some steam, and continue with my daily schedule. But like any truly valuable accessory, the Danbocchi is not cheap. It will go on sale next month fro ¥59,800 ($600), which is still cheaper than most high-end sound-proof options. And this one is portable.

Danbocchi-box2

Source: Danbocchi via Japanalyst

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